Comic-Con 2008

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This is where you'll find photos and up-to-the-minute buzz from the 2008 Comic-Con Convention. From opening day through the closing panel, we'll be showing you photos of what's happening inside the packed halls of the San Diego Convention Center, where major announcements in the world of movies and TV are made, exclusive trailers premiere, and teaser posters are propped up all over the place. We'll also be scouring for other Con-related sites and blogs for you to check out. Enjoy!

Day 3: Salvation Day

Terminator Salvation gained serious momentum today with a spirited panel in Hall H led by an impassioned McG (you may now say these two words together without sounding like Drew Barrymore), who cursed like a sailor and put those rumors of a PG-13 rating to rest before showing a trailer he cut just for Comic-Con. Elsewhere, two other "four-quels" were announced by Sam Raimi: Spider-Man 4 and Evil Dead 4, which he and his brother are about to begin writing! (Head here for news on both projects.) Today was also a big day for TV, with Lost, Heroes, and Battlestar Galactica all on tap, but good luck getting into those presentations -- I swear, even Harold Perrineau at this point would probably have trouble cutting in line for the Lost panel. Pixar showed footage of their two upcoming releases, Bolt and Up, and while Sony had surprisingly little to say about Quarantine, though they made up for it with premiere footage from Underworld: Rise of the Lycans and a Judd Apatow-moderated Pineapple Express powwow.

Though I snorted when he described his new movie as a "Prometheus tale," McG orchestrated the Terminator Salvation panel like a seasoned filmmaker. The director's depiction of the pre-Skynet era was perfectly rendered in the trailer (read a detailed report here) and McG went on to eloquently describe the story's theme of one's free will versus their destiny. A bit gruffer in his take on the movie was Sam Worthington, who looked wonderfully beaten up by the production, which is rolling currently in the deserts of Albuquerque, New Mexico. McG went on to discuss how the color stock is being treated with a process normally used for black-and-white film, how the T-800 does fit into the movie's mythology, how the year 2018 is no "lily-white future," and finally he confirmed that he's been a part of misinformation campaigns released to start, alter, and end rumors about the project. Anton Yelchin had the most memorable quote when he indicated his ambition for his character, Kyle Reese: To show how Michael Biehn became so awesome that Linda Hamilton would sleep with him. Bam! Look for the first official Terminator Salvation trailer in front of Quantum of Solace.

What Pixar's presentation lacked in starpower, they made up for with nearly 20 minutes of footage from Bolt, and a wonderful sequence from the awesome-looking Up. Disney animation vets Byron Howard and Chris Williams are directing Bolt, which puts a gender spin on a boy-and-his-dog tale and merges the story with Michael Bay-like action sequences. Coming Soon has a nice recap on both previews here, though I disagree with their take on Up, which hit a few welcomed sentimental notes with the crowd, who had just been bombarded with guns, muscles, and machines in the previous panel. Director Pete Docter described how the movie was influenced by an unreachable range of Venezuelan mountains, and a septuagenarian 's wish to fulfill the dreams he made with his now-departed wife when he was a younger man. I got misty. Plus, Docter went on to say that his movie will have some easter eggs for upcoming Pixar projects.

I missed Universal's presentation on The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor and Death Race, but Jon took great photos at both panels. Neither presentation seemed to drum up much hype, but do either of them really need it? Mummy's international cast means huge worldwide box office, and Death Race, which has been screening already in San Diego, stars the Dragon Emperor's former rival, Jason Statham, whose physique alone inspires movie dates. But really, no one at either panel had anything to say, save Maria Bello's witticism.

P.S. Rope of Silicon just posted two handfuls of new Death Race photos.

I feel like Quarantine and Underworld: Rise of the Lycans got the short shrift by Sony in order to accommodate the Pineapple Express panel. Too bad for director John Erick Dowdle and his Quarantine cast, which seemed to have a viral sensation on their hands in advance of the movie's October release. A new red-band trailer was shown, and that was it, really.

Patrick Tatopoulos was whisked on stage to discuss his personal origin story as creature/production designer on the first two Underworld installments, and his move into the director's chair for Underworld: Rise of the Lycans. You could feel the absence of Kate Beckinsale, I'm afraid, though Tatopoulos seems like a rad dude and Rhona Mitra has enviable bone structure. Plus, I could listen to Kevin Grevioux talk all day. The trailer we saw looks like it will serve the legacy well, I just don't think this one has a chance without Selene. EW has four new photos online, however.

Finally, it would be hard to describe the Pineapple Express chat without breaking our anti-swearing policies; you can get an idea of how dirty it got here before you watch what amounts to most of the movie here The best news from this panel: The comic-book oriented Simpsons episode that Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg wrote is going to be made! - Arno

Day 2: All Eyes on Watchmen

You had to queue pretty early this morning to get your Watchmen fix, since this is what the line looked like outside Hall H hours before the presentation's noon start time. After two failed attempts to gain entrance without a golden ticket, I decided to make The Wolf Man my first panel of the day, followed by The Spirit, and later, I was snuck into the press interviews for Zack and Miri Make a Porno. (Thanks, Mark!)

One of Comic-Con's most-unique elements: Just because you can't attend a panel doesn't mean you can't gain some perspective on the subject at hand. In Watchmen's case, one of the things the movie has going for it is how much faith fans of Alan Moore's graphic novel have in director Zack Snyder's adaptation. While Spout.com's Kevin Kelly digested down every moment of panel in his live blog, I chatted with Kevin Buist, another Spout editor, about the cross-cut dialogue we've seen in the trailer and whether it indicates a too-literal page-to-screen adaptation, or perhaps Snyder is finding a new way in which to synthesize the world of comics and film. We then talked about the pivotal sequences in the graphic novel in which Dr. Manhattan takes Laurie Juspeczyk to Mars and they debate the reasons for and against saving humanity from annihilation, and we both wondered if Malin Ackerman, who is known for her comedic skills, can handle such dramatic material. (For the record: I think Snyder will find a way to push the envelope stylistically and do the narrative justice; furthermore, I'm looking forward to Ackerman, who was so brilliantly vague on The Comeback, getting a chance to test her range.) If you'd like to hear what Ackerman and others have to say about the film, check out Superhero Hype's series of interviews from today.

Before you know it, an hour passes, and you find yourself mere feet away from Benicio Del Toro and Emily Blunt. My new favorite publicist ladyfriend sneaked me into Hall H for The Wolf Man panel, and I reunited with Jon, who has been bringing you all of our awesome photos from the press pit. I have to say: It was refreshing to see some classic creature effects on display after being inundated with CGI and green-screen trickery over the past couple days. Described by makeup/FX genius Rick Baker as an "old-fashioned gothic film," The Wolf Man had the crowd's attention even before the initial trailer was revealed. Baker continued by stating he actively sought out the job to transform "Bene" into the creature immortalized by Lon Chaney. For a bit more from Baker, click here, and to gauge the effect of today's panel on Net tastemakers in general, read /Film's report.

Lionsgate is all over Comic-Con, and today they brought Frank Miller, Samuel L. Jackson, Jaime King, and Gabriel Macht for a lengthy discussion about bringing Will Eisner's hero to the big screen. Miller, hands shaking, discussed his friendship with the departed Eisner, the challenges of creating Eisner's "nevertime" setting, and the new technologies used in the film. Producer Deborah Del Prete was chatty, Samuel L. Jackson had a few funny, edgy things to say about portraying the Octopus, and Macht and King were just ... pretty. We watched the trailer that has been kicking around for a while, then a scene between Macht and Sarah Paulson's Ellen Dolan that featured what my new friend called "the worst cinematic kiss in a while," and finally, a muddy fight scene between The Spirit and The Octopus that concluded with an image of a toilet fitted around Macht's torso. Kinda funny, but ultimately rather gross. I think the You Tube footage has already been yanked, but you can go here for a panel rundown.

Today was unofficially Kevin Smith Day at Comic-Con, as he co-anchored Entertainment Weekly's "Visionaries" panel, and then held his annual one-man show -- an outlet for him to show some Zack and Miri Make a Porno footage -- for the day's final event in Hall H. IGN's recap suggests that ZaMMaP might be the funniest thing next to Pineapple Express this year. Put another way: Seth Rogen might have to turn down some mint roles if he truly intends to take some time off, which he declared during the Zack and Miri group press interview. Said interview was a strange affair, with a few too obvious questions for Traci Lords and contemporary adult actress Katie Morgan, and truthfully, the barrage derailed the mini-panel and it quickly devolved into a series of one-off inquiries. However, it was great to see Jason Mewes looking fit, and Elizabeth Banks calling Oliver Stone's upcoming project the Laura Bush Movie.

As the day turned into the night, and the second day came to an end, a plane skywrote out "SEEK THE SIX" over the crowd amassed outside the Convention Center, and the mysterious website was quickly decoded as viral marketing for this upcoming TV series that will make its home on the same network that brings us Mad Men. Jon stitched together three photos so you can see what it all looked like, and if you can go here for a bit more background on the project and the secret site.

Other good stuff from today: Punisher: War Zone gossip began to spread, G.I. Joe had 'em lined up for hours, and the Tropic Thunder mockumentary went way viral. Now, I know it's late and I know I'm weary, and tomorrow brings news of Terminator Salvation, Underworld 3, viral champ Quarantine, and Pixar's two in-production projects, Bolt and Up. So it's time for the earplugs, a couple Tylenol, and a few hours' sleep. Goodnight now. - Arno

Day 1: Twilight's Rapture

At Comic-Con 2008, who is bigger than Klaatu and the return of Kevin Flynn combined? The answer: A shy high school girl named Bella Swan and her vampire BF, Edward Cullen. Yes, in a day that saw Keanu Reeves bumble his way through his character motivation for The Day the Earth Stood Still remake and Disney create a skirmish with a three-minute reel of Jeff Bridges in TRON 2, Twilight emerged as the clear fan favorite at the ever-mutating convention. While last year I felt the TV presentations trumped film in terms of popular appeal, this year is proving to be a girls-rule affair, since young ladies are out in force, shrieking their unconditional love for not one, but two darker-souled characters -- Robert Pattinson, who plays Twilight's Edward Cullen, definitely ranks as the biggest draw, but the attendant cult for Korean pop star Rain, star of the upcoming Ninja Assassin, rivaled Pattinson's legion in ear-shattering volume, making me feel like the Beatles had just taken the stage at Shea Stadium.

But first, slightly quieter matters ...

Fox unveiled two of their heavy hitters after a lengthy delay which could have contributed to the slightly subdued reception for Keanu Reeves, Jennifer Connelly, and their Day the Earth Stood Still director, Scott Derrickson. There were cheers are some screams, sure, but frankly it felt a bit nostalgic, though Derrickson's thoughtful viewpoints on his remake, coupled with his connection to original DtESS director Robert Wise (Derrickson met him as a film student), won my interest for the December release. Knowing the idea for Keanu to go Klaatu has been around since the Speed era, however, might not have been the freshest bit of trivia to share. We were treated to an extended scene of Klaatu's interrogation that can be glimpsed in the trailer, and let's just say it's odd to watch Neo don a dark suit and assume the role of a potential oppressor. Two other updates: Gort is still being developed by WETA, and the spaceship will be a "biological system" that for me brought Farscape to mind.

Keanu & co. were whisked off of the stage (no time for Q&A this afternoon!) and soon Mark Wahlberg with his Everyman charm and his freakishly huge biceps and delts stoked the packed hall for a look at Max Payne. I think this video-game adaptation might shock the industry upon its release in October, sorta like Constantine back in '05? Likable director John Moore has a cast with serious crossover appeal with Mila Kunis and Ludacris in co-starring roles, and Moore's affinity for the video game -- and gamers at large -- should only build the anticipation for the movie. It was great to see the enhanced trailer (not online as of yet) but it was even better to hear Wahlberg commend Luda for landing a role that was originally intended for "a 60-year-old white guy."

I thought Fox's panel was done at this point, but there was an announcement that Qantas Airlines had just dropped off ... Hugh Jackman! To promote Australia! OK, perhaps not, but after seeing this banner on convention-center floor, I believe more than few queued for Hall H, thinking that Jackman might have something to deliver. And did he. Saying he had just left the production with a reel of footage in his luggage, we were treated to a pseudo trailer of X-Men Origins: Wolverine, which looks to revive the franchise after the smudgy X3. Superhero Hype did an amazing job remembering every last detail of the trailer, so click over to them if you'd like a rundown.

Summit Entertainment's panel quickly followed, and like a good studio does, they made the audience endure some lesser-known movies before they brought out their young vamps. First up was Push, a thriller that would benefit from a title change and a little more detail about what it's ... about. Camilla Belle stars as a psychically enhanced young woman who has survived various tests to boost her skills (challenges that have proven deadly for all other subjects) and is therefore hunted down by the organization from whose clutches she escapes. Or something like that. From what I could gather, Chris Evans plays a guy who has let his particular skills atrophy, and Dakota Fanning needs their assistance to evade Djimon Hounsou. I don't know, it all looked like a '90s alternative rock video and sounded like noise pollution, so instead I focused on how much Dakota (who said a quick hello after spending 7 hours on I-5) looks like a young Jodie Foster.

Nicolas Cage, who I believe is filming Bad Lieutenant in New Orleans at the moment, didn't do Alex Proyas any favors by being absent for the Knowing panel. Cage has this by-the-numbers (literally and figuratively) thriller coming out next year (and Bangkok Dangerous looking D.O.A. for September), and I don't think he did his flagging career any favors today. Proyas comes off like the kind of guy who could get a sci-fi holdout to convert to the genre, and it seemed a bit unfair to have him seated alone on stage with IGN editor-in-chief Eric Moro. Two cool guys deserve a less-awkward Comic-Con experience.

While Proyas had to go it alone, director Catherine Hardwicke had the sweet cream of her cast (see our photos) present for the Twilight panel, as well as author Stephenie Meyer who seemed genuinely affected by the thousands of screaming girls who clung to every "ummmmmmmmmmm" and "ahhhhhhhhhhhhh" muttered by the aforementioned Robert Pattinson, who really had trouble formatting a complete sentence. (At least they weren't turned away from the event.) You can find the footage online, though I believe it is now the time to sit back and watch this sensation's roots strengthen, and to see how it might shape Hollywood's thinking in a year that has seen Sex and the City (is Charlotte a "Twilight Mom?") and, more recently, Mamma Mia! give women (and some men, let's not be remiss here) a reason to head out to the movies, then go back for a second or third viewing. Put another way: If "fanboy" was just recognized by the Merriam-Webster dictionary, what could 2009 bring? - Arno

A Preview of Day 1: What's worth Knowing

Jon and I are ready to descend on San Diego, and I want to provide a preview of what you can expect to read about here when we look back at the first day of Comic-Con.

Tonight, early-bird types will be treated to a pilot screening of Fringe, the new slow-reveal mystery from J.J. Abrams and his Star Trek screenwriters, Robert Orci and Alex Kurtzman. Piggybacking on the recent slick street campaign for the TV show, look for the screening to kick the hype into gear for what looks to be Fox's most uncancelable fall schedule in years. Take a look at our Fringe photo gallery and play hey-that's-so-and-so from classic TV shows such as "Party of Five" and "The Wire" as you cruise the cast.

Twentieth Century Fox has Thursday's first big presentation, with back-to-back previews of The Day the Earth Stood Still and Max Payne, and the studio is bringing Keanu Reeves and Mark Wahlberg to San Diego to ratchet up the buzz for both movies. Weirdly enough, I think the Earth needs a bigger boost than Payne, as the latter's surprisingly awesome trailer is performing better than the former's rather expected sci-fi alert.

Fledgling Hollywood studio contender Summit Entertainment is up next with a trio of movies. First to the plate is the super-powered ex-pat thriller Push, starring Chris Evans (aka Human Torch), Camilla Belle (who stumped for 10,000 BC last year), and none other than Dakota Fanning (whose character we're thinking might be like Molly Hayes from the comic Runaways?). Summit's Comic-Con ace in the hole is Twilight (more on that one in a second), but our eyes are on this genre shift from director Paul McGuigan, who was last seen in theaters briefly with Lucky Number Slevin and on TV (also briefly) with Thief.

Nicolas Cage plugged his comic here last year, but he won't be present this time around for Knowing, his thriller with I, Robot director Alex Proyas which is building a certain level of buzz with its newly released trailer. Proyas has a discernible fanboy cult, and he'd do right by his newest film to show as much of it as possible while still keeping the secret of those numbers in Cage's head a mystery.

Twilight might just have the most-anticipated panel of the day, and Catherine Hardwicke and her lost girls and boys from the Northwest will be in full force, with their dark eyes and pale skin refracting the convention center's lights. Check out the just-released second trailer over at Twilight's official site and delve into the allure of the adaptation of Stephenie Meyer's best-selling teen novel.

Recent tabloid target Guy Ritchie will unveil a preview of his buzzing RockNRolla this evening, and RNR's international trailer and photos of a battered Gerard Butler have us swooning. Butler will be present as well, so you can expect his legion of 300 followers will skip supper in order to bask in the glory of King Leonidas. RNR producer Joel Silver will make his annual appearance to stump for two of his other movies, Ninja Assassin and Whiteout, the former being James McTeigue's official follow up to V for Vendetta and the latter the Kate Beckinsale-starring, Antarctica-set thriller that finally scored a release date of September 19th. Too bad neither Beckinsale nor her co-star, Gabriel Macht (aka The Spirit), looks to be present here.

Lionsgate anchors the evening with peeps at two heavily guarded and somewhat related horror flicks, Saw V and Repo! The Genetic Opera, the horror-musical from Darren Lynn Bousman, he of Saw's second, third, and fourth installments. - Arno